Ten go through to Mash Calypso Finals

By Enid Joaquin
The Mashramani Calypso semi-finals held on Saturday night at the Mackenzie Sports Club Ground, where 21 contestants vied for the chance to make it through to the finals to be held next weekend in Georgetown.
However, only ten qualified to do so.
While patrons deemed the show a good one, many were disappointed that a few excellent performers were omitted from the finals.
The show which began a little late, failed to draw the usual mammoth crowd, but that did not put a damper on the night’s proceedings, to which MC Mondale Smith added just the right touch of humour.
And the crowd certainly got their money’s worth.
Contestants belted out their renditions, most of which were politically saturated. On the social commentary scale, Daria Barrow, aka Queen Baria painted a graphic picture of the physical abuse, endured by too many women .
While Baria’s props told the story excellently, her vocal performance did not quite live up to expectations. A few persons felt that there was too much wailing, punctuating her rendition.
Shantel Gittens, commenting on another social issue, focused on the scourge of cocaine. She painted a vivid picture of the effects of addiction.
Dereck Mangal, aka Bright Colours, had the crowd gyrating to his song “Coalition”, with its driving and hypnotic rhythm. Most deemed the performance an excellent one.
Another “Coalition” song, rendered by Kenroy Fraser, the “Mighty Believer” was also a crowd favorite. The last contestant to perform, Fraser certainly brought the curtains down on a great show, in fine style.
Interestingly, neither of the two received the judges nod, to go through to the finals.
Patrons were very disappointed about this. At the end of the show, ten of the contestants received the judge’s nod to head to the finals slated for Georgetown next weekend where they will vie for the Mashramani Calypso Monarch title.
The lucky ten are Camile Basdeo, Roger Hinds aka Young Bill Rogers, Lester Charles aka the Professor, Martin Burnes, John Marcus, Tashana Cort, Laselle Duke, Wendell Walcot aka Mighty Hunter, Pearl Lewis aka Precious Pearl and Karen Bennet aka Queen Makeba.
Chief Judge Winston Ceasar acknowledged that the judges had their job cut out.
“It was not easy for the judges because the contestants really performed well, but we had to make a decision, as to which ten would go to the finals; so we picked the best ten. All in all it was a great show.”